LINDEN &8212; Although mosquitoes will always be a chronic problem in the rural South, the county may now have a better way to control them, thanks to grant funds from the state health department.

On Tuesday, Parrish Pugh of the Marengo County Health Department presented the Marengo County Commission with a check for $37,600 to purchase a new truck, spraying mechanism and approximately 60-80 gallons of chemicals for a new mosquito control program.

In conjunction with the new spraying equipment, the health department will conduct seminars &8212; to be announced in March 2008 &8212; to teach people effective techniques to mosquito abatement.

The funds are from the Alabama Department of Public Health&8217;s Epidemiology Division are in part as a result of Hurricane Katrina, when the department designated eight counties to qualify for assistance for establishing and enhancing mosquito abatement programs.

This check presentation, however, was not the only one at Tuesday&8217;s meeting.

Chuck Smith of Rock-Tenn came before the commission to present a $2,000 check to the sheriff&8217;s office for their assistance in controlling the traffic around the entrance to their paperboard mill on U.S. highway 80 West.

Smith said in October the company has a high volume of traffic coming in and out of the mill, and they asked the sheriff&8217;s office to step in to assist.

Surplus equipment bid opening

The commission opened bids for surplus equipment held by the county. After hearing all the bids, the commission voted to go with the highest bidder on the 11 items for sale.

Johnny Harris was the high bidder on a 1995 Chevrolet Caprice at $526 and a 1993 Chevrolet Caprice at $321. Lester Williams was the high bidder for a load of scrap metal at $1,505. The remaining items went to the high bid from Glenn Pendergrass.

County Engineer Ken Atkins reported next week there will be construction going on at the railroad crossing at the intersection of County Roads 33 and 55. Both of these roads will be closed during the construction, which should last about three days, Atkins said.

Economic Development Authority

Just as Linden and Demopolis have done in previous weeks, the Commission nominated appointments to serve on the board of newly formed Marengo County Economic Development Authority. The Commission has five appointments to the board, one for each of the county&8217;s five districts and its corresponding commissioner.

Commissioner Freddie Armstead of District 1 nominated the Rev. Charlie Moore. Commissioner Ken Tucker of District 2 nominated Jay Shows. Chairman John Crawford Jr. of District 3 nominated Scott Collier. Commissioner Calvin Martin of District 4 nominated Andrew Williams. Commissioner Jerry Loftin of District 5 nominated Josephine Hall Blackmon.

Tucker moved that all appointments be accepted as presented and the commission voted unanimously to approve them.

In other business, the commission:

Appropriated $500 to the Marengo County Rescue Squad toward the purchase of a new truck.

Passed a resolution in honor of the Sweet Water High School football team for winning a third state championship in four years.